Celebrate National Mocktail Week! Raise a Toast Between January 13-19, 2019

Pear Perfection, the perfect drink for National Mocktail WeekPhoto by Effie Gurmeza

The second full week of January (January 13-19) has been officially named National Mocktail Week, recognizing the desire by a growing number of Americans who are increasingly mindful of alcohol consumption habits and seeking alternatives to traditional drinks.

Kick off the New Year with a new reason to raise a toast—it’s National Mocktail Week. The second full week of January (January 13-19) has been officially named National Mocktail Week, recognizing the desire by a growing number of Americans who are increasingly mindful of alcohol consumption habits and seeking alternatives to traditional drinks.

National Mocktail Week supports and celebrates the decision to drink non-alcoholic cocktails and encourages friends and family to do the same. The movement is spearheaded by Founder Marnie Rae. Fifteen years ago, Marnie got sober and it didn’t take long for her to realize that fun, delicious, grown-up cocktails were not an option in most of the hospitality world. Marnie founded National Mocktail Week as just one aspect of her movement to make mocktails a standard on the drink menu.

“There is a growing trend calling for mocktails to be served with greater frequency and fanfare in restaurants and in the home. With so many Americans choosing for a variety of reasons to lead an alcohol-free lifestyle, it makes sense that the call for mocktails is on the rise and is not being ignored by those in the hospitality business,” said Marnie. “I believe the mocktail movement is about so much more than the drink – it’s about making guests feel welcome at our establishments and included in the moment.”

A mocktail is a non-alcoholic cocktail which can consist of a wide range of ingredients like fruit juices, drinking vinegars, tea-based syrups and homemade bitters or shrub, herbs and spices, soda and other elements. And while the trend may seem new, some favorite mocktails are not. The Shirley Temple and Roy Rogers have been around for decades, but primarily associated for those under the legal drinking age. Now with the number of Americans choosing not to drink alcohol but still socializing and enjoying going out for a meal, the need for better and more M=mocktails on the menu is needed.

While the reason for choosing to abstain from alcohol is personal and ranges from sobriety to wellness to pregnancy and religion (or how about those designated drivers) a person’s beverage selection remains thirst quenching. Here is a Mocktail recipe that is so good, who will miss the alcohol?

Pear Perfection

(Serves 12)

Ingredients:

4 peeled, sliced pears

1 1/2 tbsp fresh, finely grated ginger

1/2 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp dark brown sugar

To Prepare:

Bring to a light boil on medium heat.

At boil, immediately cover and turn to low for 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes.

Uncover and remove from heat.

Allow to cool.

Blend well.

To Serve:

Combine 2 oz of base + 6 oz soda water in a shaker.

Shake well.

Strain into martini glass or serve over ice.

Rim the glass with a sugar cinnamon mixture and a bare pinch of ground cardamom.

Everyone is encouraged to choose a mocktail over a cocktail during National Mocktail Week and show support needed to continue a healthy lifestyle. Better yet, give a new Mocktail a try!

“My goal is to educate and empower both sides of the bar on the importance of offering a crafted, delicious mocktail for those that don’t drink. Gone are the days of soda or iced tea in a pint glass with a straw,” adds Marnie.